All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Persepolis

Temple of Bel, an ancient temple in Palmyra, Syria. The temple was destroyed by ISIS in 2015. Source: Janos/Adobe Stock

History Erased: The 6 Most Heartbreaking Archaeological Destructions

Have you ever wondered how the destruction of our past affects our future? World history is full of incredible stories of innovation, achievement, and triumph, but it is also full of tales of...
The sun sets on the ruins of Persepolis burnt by Alexander the Great in 330 BC (Pav-Pro Photography / Adobe Stock)

The Aftermath Of The Achaemenid Empire

Between 550 and 520 BC Cyrus the Great had unified the Medes and the Persians and founded an empire that stretched from the Indus River to North Africa and from the Aral Sea to the Persian Gulf...
Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Alexander Of Macedon And His Nemesis Persian Darius III

Ironically, Xenophon’s Cyropaedia, written around 370 BC, a narrative describing the education of the ideal ruler centred on Cyrus the Great founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty, was a great inspiration...
English Tourists in Campagna, one of many ancient tourist spots, by Carl Spitzweg. Source: Public domain

10 Tourist Spots That Ancient People Visited

Believe it or not, tourism has been around since the time of the Egyptians. Throughout history, ancient people used to travel not only for political and religious purposes, but also for leisure and...
Selection of the Persian clay tablets that were reevaluated in the study. Source: ILNA

Clay Tablets Reveal Persians Paid with Silver Coins… But is it News?

A new research paper claims to reveal new facts about the ancient Persian (Achaemenid) Empire. While headlines tell of the 33 Achaemenid clay tablets determining that Persian laborers were paid wages...
The deformed human skull as it was recently found at the Tepe Ashraf mound.           Source: Tehran Times / CC BY 4.0)

Bizarrely Deformed Human Skull Found In Iranian Death Mound

Iranian archaeologists in search of ancient “death archaeology” at a prehistoric mound have recently unearthed the bizarrely deformed skull of an ancient human. In ancient archaeology, deformed human...
Four Iranian heritage sites: The ruins of Persepolis. (F. Couin/ CC BY SA 4.0 ), Pasargadae Tomb in Shiraz (CC BY SA 3.0), Ancient ruins in Susa, Iran (UNESCO), Elaborate decoration in Golestan Palace, Tehran, Iran. (Diego Delso/CC BY SA).

Iran’s Heritage Sites Remain Under Threat. What Could We Lose?

A country’s heritage is arguably vital to its lifeblood. It connects the present to the past and also unites humanity in the appreciation and love for history and archaeology. Ancient cultural sites...
Ruins of ancient Persepolis, Iran, with the columns of the Apadana Hall on the right. Source: pawopa3336 / Adobe Stock.

Apadana – The Everlasting Hall of the Achaemenids

Throughout countless centuries, across all kinds of different epochs, the great hypostyle hall of Apadana has been an impressive source of wonder and inspiration for all manner of folk. This once...
Assyrian Cuneiform

Deciphering Cuneiform to Get a Handle on Life in Ancient Mesopotamia

Cuneiform is a system of writing that was invented by the Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia. Believed to have been created sometime during the 4th millennium BC (between 3500 and 3000 BC), this script...
Virtual recreation by Charles Chipiez. A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.

An Empire in Death: The Extensive Remains of Persepolis

Once the stunning capital of the Persian Empire (also known as the Achaemenid Empire), Persepolis was lost to the world for almost nineteen hundred years, buried in the dirt of southwestern Iran...
relief at the ancient Persian city of Persepolis (now in modern Iran), including inscriptions in cuneiform, the world’s oldest form of writing.

The Controversial Road to the Recovery of Cuneiform Texts

It is a little-known piece of history that Saddam Hussein was a great fan of ancient Mesopotamian literature. His enthusiasm for epics written in cuneiform – the world’s oldest known form of writing...
Remains of the Apadana, the Audience Palace

Alexander the Great’s Capital Punishment? The Building of Persepolis and its Flaming Demise

Persepolis is an ancient city that once served as the capital of the mighty Achaemenid Empire. Persepolis is the Greek name for ‘Parsa’, and both these names mean ‘Persian City’ or ‘City of the...
Detail of the Alexander Sarcophagus located in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Gold coins

Alexander the Great Destroyer: Ancient Revenge or War for Profit? – Part II

“As Persepolis had exceeded all other cities in prosperity, so in the same measure it now exceeded all others in misery.” Miseries along with poverty, for the people were raped of their land and...
Detail of the Alexander Sarcophagus located in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Here Alexander fights the Persians at the Battle of Issus.

Alexander the Great Destroyer? The Sacking of Persepolis and The Business of War – Part I

Alexander the Great has gained an immortality in his strong presence in our minds as well as in the history books. Known for a greatness of military genius and diplomatic skills, he conquered most of...
A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.

The Spectacular Monumental Architecture of the Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire is traditionally believed to have been founded by Cyrus the Great during the middle of the 6 th century B.C. In 559 B.C., Cyrus became the king of Persis, and 9 years later,...
‘Buddha offers fruit to the devil’ from 14th century Persian manuscript ‘The Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh’ (Compendium of Chronicles).

Ancient Persian Inscriptions Link a Babylonian King to the Man Who Became Buddha

Dramatic evidence has revealed the presence of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who became Buddha, as far west as Persia. Family seals and records found at Persepolis, the ancient capital of the fourth...
Darius the Great receiving greetings and gifts from governors and ambassadors. Relief from Persepolis, Iran

Nowruz - The Persian New Year and The Spring Equinox

Nowruz, known as the Persian new year, is one of the most ancient celebrations in history and has been celebrated for around 4000 years in what is now Iran and in the extended cultural area known as...
2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran

Excavations uncover large ancient gate in 2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran

Excavations at Persepolis, a magnificent palace complex in Iran founded by Darius the Great around 518 BC, have uncovered a great ancient gate in Tale-Ajori, within the Firouzi Complex. Even older...